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Proposed airport generating controversy

Critics say project unnecessary

There's a battle brewing over a proposed regional airport in Mahaska County.

Proposed airport generating controversy

Critics say project unnecessary

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Updated: 6:55 AM CDT Apr 2, 2013

OSKALOOSA, Iowa —

There's a battle brewing over a proposed regional airport in Mahaska County.

City and county leaders say the project will be good for businesses, but critics worry whether the plan will take off.

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Three potential sites have been selected for the airport, all of them between Pella and Oskaloosa along Highway 163. The ambitious plan has caused a fight over flight.

"The voters actually have no say this time," said Tim Van Maanen, who is against the proposal.

Jim Hansen of the South Central Regional Airport Agency said the airport is coming, it's just a matter of where it will be built.

"I think it will create -- begin to create -- a corridor between Oskaloosa and Pella for economic development," he said.

"About five years ago, this was brought up to a public vote, and the public voted it down pretty heavily," Van Maanen said.

He said he is worried about the money involved in the project.

"Nobody really knows, for one, how much this airport is going to cost," Van Maanen said. "And No. 2, if it's going to make enough money to support itself."

"Ninety percent of this will be paid for by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), and the balance will be paid for by the cities of Oskaloosa and Pella," said Hansen, who added that the project is badly needed, especially for businesses flying jets to and from Pella.

"Pella airport is currently operating on a permit from the FAA to allow larger planes to land there -- it wasn't built for that," Hansen said.

"Where it is unsafe is Pella's airport. It doesn't have a long enough runway to handle a class C jet," Van Maanen said. "The other 99 percent of traffic in and out of Pella airport --100 percent safe, they love it, it's a great airport. So really, that's not a valid reason we need to be looking at a new airport."

Critics point to other regional airports in the area, including Newton and Ottumwa. They say building another one doesn't make sense financially or geographically.

The airport plans to select two sites for consideration, and both will be studied from an environmental standpoint before a master plan is created. The FAA must approve the project, and it could take two years for the go-ahead.